Maravi

(HERALD) We’re masters of our destiny, says President

We’re masters of our destiny, says President
From Sydney Kawadza in GOKWE

Zimbabweans who have not embraced Government’s economic empowerment programme should wake up and enjoy the benefits of the country’s hard-won independence and sovereignty, President Mugabe has said.

Addressing thousands of people at the International Day of Co-operatives celebrations at Gokwe Centre yesterday, President Mugabe said economic indigenisation was as irreversible as the land reform programme. He also launched Zimbabwe’s first Women’s Development Savings and Credit Union’s Village Bank.

Zimbabwe, he said, is an independent state whose citizens should fully enjoy its resources.

"We are a sovereign people and our sovereignty confers on us, each and everyone of us, that aspect of independence; that we are masters of our destiny.

"Tavakuzvitonga, iwe neni tava kuzvitonga. Tava vene veZimbabwe. Iwe neni tava varidzi venyika . . .

"Vemasango aya. Vevhu nemhuka dzese nedzinzizi. Iwe neni tava vene. Kana tava vene vazvo, it means we are the masters of our destiny.

"Tochisevenzesa zvino simba iroro rakabva mukurwira nyika yedu, mukuzvitonga kuti tiite mabhizimisi . . . to be owners of these businesses. Kwete kungomirira kuti upihwe basa nemurungu."

The Head of State and Government and Comma-nder-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces emphasised: "Zvipe basa iwewe!

"Nyika yava yako. Muka, muka, muka! Kana wanga urere svinura! Unosiiwa nevamwe vaakumhanya nenyika nekuti yava yavo, iwe wasarira uchiti ‘ah, murungu achiri mwene wenyika’.

"Kunyangwe usingazvitaure izvozvo. Kana uchiti ndinoda kuti murungu andishandire. Takapa vamwe mapurazi.

"Iye zvino tine nyaya yekuongorora vamwe vakati kuvarungu rima zvako wopota uchindipa pakati kuti. Tinovatorera!"

President Mugabe urged Zimbabweans to develop a culture of saving their earnings.

He hailed women for being more responsible than men when it came to savings.

"Madzimai anekucherechedza zvikuru-kuru kuti ndikaita mari iyi, kunyangwe varivoga vachiita basa voga kuinformal sector, vanokwanisa kuchengetedza kamwe kamari kuti kamari kandaita aka ndinozotora zvinhu zvandinoshandisa, maproducts andinotengesa, kuti ndirambe ndichinoatora.

"Vision, vision, vision tinoida. Discipline tinoida."

The President said the saving culture seemed alien to many African countries since they gained independence.

"Ukafamba kunyika dzakawanda muAfrica mari inosungirwa mumadhuku, mumazambia imomo. Hatidi culture yeizvozvo.

"Tinoda culture yekuti mari iyende kumabank. Iyi yatinosungira tichitya kuti ingadonha haibe-reki.

"Mari inofanira kuitwa semhodzi yatinodyara kuti mangwana kana rwuri rwumhodzi mangwana tozoona muriwo kubva zvakare murumhodzi rwatinenge tadyara."

President Mugabe said it was imperative that the banking sector supports small and medium enterprises for Zimbabwe’s development.

He said co-operatives, which had been in existence in Zimbabwe for decades, should enhance development and unity within families and communities.

"Saka zvinobatsirawo paHurumende kuti mabenefits enyika anobva kudevelopment anenge achipararira kuvazhinji.

"We share in a better way the benefits that come from our wealth.

"Saka we emphasise policy yedu yesocial development or socialist development."

The President said Government would continue assisting co-operatives and hence the decision to have an entire ministry devoted to SMEs.

Labels: COOPERATIVES, INTERNATIONAL DAY OF COOPERATIVES, ROBERT MUGABE, SMEs, SPEECHES

posted by MrK @ 1:42 AM